quality control on the backside of a quilt

[Anne from Guam]

Is there anything I can do about those knots that I get when I am going fast and change direction?

The needle stitches in the same place about 3 times before it  changes direction goes to the next stitch and then I get

a knot.  How many knots in one area are acceptable?

 

The reason I ask is because I'm working on a Mariner's Compass for a customer and I have a section

of those knots on the back.  They aren't horrible, but not exactly lovely.  The thread is white on a blue background with white print fabric.

This fabric hides thread paths and other things, but the knots are 3d and I was hoping to do something that would make them less noticeable.

 

Is there a way to pop them into the quilt sandwich?  

I don't plan on frogging, because it is in a fill area that is densely stitched.

 

So, how important is the back of the quilt?  The front side looks amazing.

[micajah]

Hi Anne,

I had a similiar problem last week. Janette jumped in and showed me how to take a pin, insert it into the knot and wiggle it so that the thread loosens. Then you can lasso it with a separate loop of thread and bury it in the quilt. I only had a few to do. Sorry you have so many! 

Debbie

[Primitive1]

What a good idea, sorry I missed that thread.

[Anne from Guam]

Thanks I missed that post last week!

[DawnCavanaugh]

Hi Anne,

 

Are you using the Quilt Glide when stitching this quilt? You shouldn't see actual knots in the corners if you're using the straight regulator, but you will get a short stitch as the machine places a stitch where you stopped moving. It will resume with normal stitches once you move in the next direction. However, if your Quilt Glide is on, it's also engaging the manual sewing mode on top of the regulator. That can cause the machine to fire the extra stitches in the corner when you change directions. Turn it off if you aren't doing small micro work.

 

Also, I'd like to distinguish whether you can actually "undo" the knot with a pin (which means a different problem) or whether it's actually a pulled stitch from tension imbalance. If you can undo the knot with a pin, then you actually have a slip knot formed on the quilt back. Slip knots are caused by thread twist, and they're different from knots caused by stitching in the same hole. Sometimes the way thread comes off the cone, combined with the thread path, it will twist tighter and tighter as it passes through the needle. At some point, it twists so much that it forms a slip knot on the back of the quilt. If you've got slip knots, then check the thread path and consider weaving it through the 3-hole guide instead of wrapping it around and around.

 

If the thread isn't a knot at all, but is a "tension pull" then loosen the top and bobbin thread tension to reduce the needle flex, or increase the needle size to help with that.

[Janette]

the type of knot i was referring to last week was the slip knot not a tension knot or keeping in the same a
spot. like dawn says when the thread comes off the cone at some point too quickly.

Thanks dawn for your technical explanation and suggested solution too. i get these occasionally and didnt know how else to "cure" them other than pulling it back into the quilt. next time i get it will try wrapping my thread through different . you can see the thread flip out of the corner of your eye and you just know there will be a loop.... but thread nets havent worked for me either and still flipped occasionally.... i had it happen alot with magnifico thread recently which is really slippy.


hope you figure out your knots anne.

[Anne from Guam]

Thanks Janette. I checked and the glide was off and the knots are true knots. I will try to lasso them and get them inside the quilt.

[Anne from Guam]

I think I was quilting too fast because I was getting bored with the fill pattern and that's why the knots showed up.

[Janette]

i find with these slip knots that form on the back if i gently pull the stitch with a pin but from the top not the back then i lassoo the loop from the top into the quilt.  i have tried from the back but get more invisible results from the top.

 

ps this isn't a regular occurrence... lol...

 

hope you dont  have too many Anne....